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Not the game anyone expected: Oak Ridge beats Fulton 81-31

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Oak Ridge senior point guard Geevantay Gee (12) drives for a basket in his last regular-season game at Wildcat Arena, an 81-31 drubbing of Fulton on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m.

It wasn’t the game anyone expected. In a battle of two top-ranked teams, Oak Ridge beat Fulton 81-31 at Wildcat Arena on Saturday.

The basketball game, the last in the regular season, was never really close. The Wildcats (29-2) were up by 16 points less than five minutes into the game, led 27-8 at the end of the first quarter, and went into halftime ahead 50-13. Junior guards Tee Higgins and Tajion Jones both had early dunks that fired up the loud, raucous standing-room-only crowd.

The Falcons (22-2), ranked number two in Class AA, shot 15 percent in the first half and probably didn’t do any better in the second, Coach Jody Wright said.

Meanwhile, Oak Ridge, ranked number eight in Class AAA, had 20 assists in the first half alone, a sign that the Wildcats were sharing the ball well, and they played their best game of the year, Coach Aaron Green said. Senior point guard Geevantay Gee had five of those first-half assists, and junior guard E.J. Bush had four. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats keep game close in final seconds, but Fulton takes 30-26 win

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Fulton sophomore post Janae Fuqua (32) shoots over Oak Ridge sophomore post Mykia Dowdell (34) during a 30-26 win for the Lady Falcons at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3 a.m.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats pulled within two points, 28-26, with 10 seconds to go, but Fulton emerged with a 30-26 win at Wildcat Arena on Saturday.

It was the last regular-season game of the year for Oak Ridge (22-4, 16-0 District 3-AAA). The Lady Wildcats enter next week’s district tournament as the top seed and are guaranteed a spot in the Region 2 tournament. The Lady Wildcats finished the regular season undefeated in District 3-AAA after a 47-32 win at Campbell County on Friday.

This year’s game between Oak Ridge and Fulton was closer than last year’s, when the Lady Wildcats fell to the Lady Falcons 71-34.

The taller Fulton team (11-8, 4-4 District 3-AA) was led on Saturday by junior guard/post Keke McKinney, who had a game-high 16-points in the low-scoring game in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Wildcat Arena. Freshman guard Lay Lay Manning, who was fouled four times, made three free throws and two baskets for seven points total. [Read more…]

For first time, Wildcats, Lady Wildcats both finish regular season undefeated in district

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Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson (11) is pictured above during a 78-61 win at Powell on Dec. 8, 2015. Johnson led the Wildcats with 18 points during a 71-43 win at Campbell County on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, in the last regular-season district game. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

For the first time, the Oak Ridge Wildcats and Lady Wildcats basketball teams have both finished the regular season undefeated in the district.

The closest the two teams have ever come to that feat was in 1999-2000, when the girls went undefeated but the boys lost to Campbell County in the Cougars’ last win over Oak Ridge, said broadcaster David Clary of Prepradio.com.

Clary said the Oak Ridge girls went five straight seasons without losing a regular-season district game between 1985-1990.

This year’s two Oak Ridge teams ended their regular-season district games on Friday at Campbell County.

The girls (22-3, 16-0 District 3-AAA) won the regular-season district championship with a come-from-behind 47-32 win over the Lady Cougars. The only two district losses for the Lady Cougars (23-5, 14-2) this year have been to Oak Ridge.

The boys (28-2, 16-0) finished with a 71-43 blowout at Campbell County (14-14, 5-11). [Read more…]

Undefeated in district, Lady Wildcats win regular season district championship

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats, who are undefeated in District 3-AAA, won the regular season district championship 47-32 at Campbell County on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, and they enter next week’s district tournament as the top seed. The Lady Wildcats and Coach Paige Green are pictured above during a Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, game against Karns at Wildcat Arena. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:50 p.m. Feb. 13.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats, who are undefeated in District 3-AAA, won the regular season district championship 47-32 at Campbell County on Friday.

Down by five points at halftime, Oak Ridge (22-3, 16-0 District 3-AAA) rallied in the second half to defeat the Lady Cougars and will enter next week’s district tournament as the top seed.

The Lady Wildcats were led by freshman point guard Jada Guinn, who scored 17 points. Junior guard Courtney Ellison had 10, sophomore post Mykia Dowdell added nine, and senior forward Caelyn Thompson scored seven.

Campbell County (23-5, 14-2) only lost two district games this year and both were to Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Higgins one of three Mr. Basketball finalists in Class AAA

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) is one of three finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class AAA in Tennessee. (Photo by Allen Greene/TriCitiesSports.com)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:45 p.m.

Already named Mr. Football this year, Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins is now one of three finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class AAA in Tennessee.

The Mr. Basketball finalists were announced Friday.

The other two Class AAA finalists are Nathan Hoover of Arlington and Alex Lomax of Memphis East.

Higgins had earlier committed to play football at the University of Tennessee, but he recently re-opened his recruitment in football and basketball. [Read more…]

Former Anderson County commissioner, teacher indicted in alleged church theft

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James Michael Cox

James Michael Cox

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:15 a.m. Feb. 12.

A former Anderson County commissioner, commission chair, and teacher has been indicted on one count of theft over $60,000 from a church in Rocky Top, authorities said.

James Michael “Mike” Cox surrendered at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Thursday afternoon, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said.

Cox was indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on the Class B felony on February 2.

The theft of about $100,000 is alleged to have occurred from Longfield Baptist Church in Rocky Top, the former Lake City, between June 1, 2011, and December 1, 2014, Clark said. [Read more…]

Clinton police searching for missing 14-year-old girl

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The Clinton Police Department is searching for a missing 14-year-old girl, Cassandra Faye Moore.

 

The Clinton Police Department is searching for a missing 14-year-old girl, authorities said.

Cassandra Faye Moore, a Clinton resident, was last seen in the early morning hours Thursday, February 11, authorities said.

If you have any information about her location, you are asked to please contact Detective Sergeant Danielle Alexander at the Clinton Police Department at (865) 457-3112.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Habitat for Humanity needs your help raising money for sprinkler system

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Charlotte Bowers

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County needs your help making repairs to its very old sprinkler system. The nonprofit organization is trying to raise $8,500 by March 12 for these repairs.

Habitat for Humanity has issued a challenge to encourage supporters to contribute. Executive Director Charlotte Bowers will shave her head if the fundraising drive is successful.

Habitat for Humanity said all the money donated to build or repair homes is used only for that purpose, so the $8,500 for the sprinkler system has to be raised in a fundraiser specifically for that purpose. [Read more…]

Man pleads guilty to murder-, robbery-related charges in drug deal that ended in death

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Bronx Washington

Bronx Washington

An Oak Ridge man has pleaded guilty to murder- and robbery-related charges in what police described as a marijuana deal that ended with one man dead.

Bronx Shavon Washington, who is now 22, pleaded guilty in Anderson County Criminal Court on Monday. He entered the guilty pleas on a reduced charge of facilitation to commit second-degree murder, a Class B felony, and a reduced charge of facilitation to commit aggravated robbery, a Class C felony. Washington received a total 14-year sentence on those two charges as well as a drug possession charge. He was the last of three defendants to plead guilty in the case.

Washington and two brothers, Brandon Javon Brooms, now 25, and James Stefan Brooms, now 27, had each been indicted in March 2012 on charges of first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in the death of Antonio “Tony” Phillips, 22. [Read more…]

ASAP’s Strutner named 2016 Advocate of Year by anti-drug coalition

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Stephanie Strutner accepted CADCA’s National Advocate of the Year Award in National Harbor, Maryland on Feb. 4, 2016. (Submitted photo)

Award recognizes individuals who are exceptional advocates for drug prevention field

Stephanie Strutner has been named the 2016 Advocate of the Year by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, or CADCA, the nation’s leading substance abuse prevention organization.

Strutner, executive director of Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, accepted the award on Thursday, February 4, during CADCA’s 26th annual National Leadership Forum. The forum was at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

CADCA represents more than 5,000 community anti-drug coalitions across the country.

The Advocate of the Year award recognizes substance abuse prevention leaders who are exceptional advocates in the field, forge relationships and educate their elected officials throughout the year about key substance abuse-related issues, and help to ensure that members of Congress understand the importance of community coalitions. [Read more…]

Pro2Serve, Covenant Health form joint venture in health care data analytics

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Pictured above are Tony Spezia, left, president and CEO of Covenant Health, and Barry Goss, founder and CEO of Pro2Serve. (Submitted photo)

 

Professional Project Services Inc., or Pro2Serve, and Covenant Health have formed VortexT Analytics Inc., a strategic partnership that will address the rapidly evolving field of big data analytics in health care, a press release said.

The joint venture will use VortexT, a data analytics software based on algorithms originally developed and patented by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and licensed and further advanced by Pro2Serve. VortexT is currently being used in critical national security applications and is producing valuable data, the press release said.

Barry Goss, founder and chief executive officer of Pro2Serve, calls VortexT “a disruptive big data analytics technology that is proven, sustainable, and ready to be introduced into commercial markets, starting with healthcare.

“VortexT analyzes more data in less time and at less cost, and produces more valuable information than other big data analytics technologies,” Goss said. “We also hold field-of-use licenses for applying the technology to the insurance, financial services, and legal services industries.” [Read more…]

Early voting starts today in Tennessee

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Note: This story was last updated at 1:30 p.m.

Early voting for the March 1 presidential preference primary, or “SEC Primary,” begins today (Wednesday, February 10).

In this election cycle, voting early may be an important option because of unpredictable winter weather, state officials said in a press release. The number of presidential candidates as well as the number of delegates could also create incredibly long ballots for some voters.

Six Southern states will join Tennessee to help decide who could be the next president of the United States. The Volunteer State’s clout could mean more primary interest than in years past. [Read more…]